Shailene Woodley is heading back to dystopian Chicago. Lionsgate announced Tuesday that principal photography for “Insurgent,” next year’s planned sequel to“Divergent,” commenced on location in Atlanta.

The film adaptation of the second book in Veronica Roth’s massively successful “Divergent” trilogy will see Woodley reprising her role as Tris Prior and tracks her journey as a fugitive with compatriot Four (Theo James), fleeing from the ruthless Erudite leader Jeanine (Kate Winslet) as war between the factions looms.

The pair is tasked with uncovering the mystery of Tris’ family’s sacrifice and why the Erudite leaders are so intent on stopping them.

“I think she has one up on me in many ways because she’s been working in this industry for longer than I had done at the point that I went through what she’s going through right now,” Winslet said. “She knows what to expect of this business. I still was protected in a way by pink, fluffy, English clouds. You come into the Hollywood machine the way that I was thrown into it with ‘Titanic,’ and nothing can prepare you.”

Woodley, who prior to “Divergent” earned a supporting actress Golden Globe nomination for “The Descendents,” impressed many of the cast and crew who were equally as effusive in their praise for their young costar.

Alongside Woodley, Winslet and the returning cast of Jai Courtney, Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q and Mekhi Phifer, it was announced earlier this month that Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer will join the cast of “Insurgent,” playing Johanna, the leader of the Amity faction.

Roth’s bestselling series received a major boost from the release of “Divergent” earlier this year — book sales of the trilogy have surged to nearly 22 million copies worldwide, up from 17 million at the time of the film’s opening.

“Insurgent,” which will be penned by Akiva Goldsman and Brian Duffield, is set to open March 20, 2015, and will be shot in Atlanta and Chicago.

Comments

3 Responses to ‘Divergent’ sequel ‘Insurgent’ begins production in Atlanta

I hope that all the actors do as much as possible that happens in the book I loved the first movie and I hope that it's just as good as the first one! Tobias (Theo James) did so well acting with Tris (Shailene Woodly) and they make the perfect couple in the movie world for me!!! Tobias is really handsome and I hope that he does a lot more movies!!!

I was dissapointed in the movie. It left out a lot of important events from the book. What about Edward getting stabbed in the eye? The way tris almost dies and her mom rescues her is all wrong. Four in the control room while under simulation, capture the flag…Christina was supposed to grab the flag because tris was already a star…there are other things as well but I just hope the 2nd movie is more accurate when it comes to the main events. Tris was never “out”. She didn’t have to run to catch the train for capture the flag.